Author's Note

Please let me know about any mistakes or improvements I could make thanks.

Mornings

Bowic awoke.

It was a cold morning again, mornings which he had become accustomed to.

He hadn't known why or even how he had come to this land, His earliest memory was a rude awakening by a hungry pack of wolves in an old forest.

When he awoke he was alone and had no knowledge of the world that had laid before him, nor its customs.

So as it was, he was lucky to come across his current companions. He began travelling with one of them after a brief but eventful interaction with the first group of locals he had the displeasure of meeting.

Luckily or rather unluckily depending on how you looked at it, the others quickly joined through a series of eventful and mind-shatteringly stupid and headache-inducing events bowic did not care to reminisce on.

So luckily for him, his reminiscing was cut short as one of his aforementioned companions, who he could currently hear stomping around outside his tent, not being nearly as quiet as he thought he was, was approaching Bowics tent far too early in the morning for what was the third time in the past three days.

Abruptly his tent flap was torn open and a Beaked head jutted through the now-open flap allowing even more freezing air to seep into his already chilly abode and sufficiently souring Bowics mood.

"Ah-ha!" the avian exclaimed in excitement which was however quickly replaced by a look of sourness "Better luck next time Klein" the now even colder and significantly more annoyed man deadpanned.

The orange-furred and brown-feathered avian was known as Klein Veit, self-proclaimed leader and resident Gryphon of the group now sulked as another attempt to see the face of the man had ended like all the other previous attempts "Aw come on!" he wined "Honestly, you have to sleep in that helmet, how does that not get uncomfortable" he continued.

"I don't, you just insist on putting your armour on every morning before you try and get in here, I can hear you coming as soon as you get out of your tent" the man shot back.

"Yea well I've got ancient traditions to uphold, and I'm not allowed to break a thousand-year tradition to sneak a peak at your ugly mug Bowic," Klein said.

"Well I must be a better gryphon than you then seeing as when I found you with that doe back in River-wood you seemed pretty unarmed then" Bowic smugly responded.

"You- ah whatever, Arlene's got a boar on the campfire she told me to let you know, Kayjack went out on one of his midnight hunts again so she got it on the fire after we found it," Klein said as he pulled his head out of the tent and began sauntering back down to the rest of the camp.

Boic however did not follow and let out a deep sigh, without knowing it Klein had gotten far closer to seeing his face than before, and from how the locals he had met had reacted to seeing him without all the clothing he now wore, he couldn't allow the others to see him without his armour on.

He had not known why, but his furless form seemed to invoke a great fear from the locals. As far as he knew he was the only non-fur-coted creature and even the only human for miles, maybe even the only one on this entire good-forsaken rock.

But he preferred not to think about that possibility.

So, he had taken on covering himself from head to toe in leather and chain-mail with an ancient great helm he had pried off a decaying body in the woods during his initial escape from the locals.
Boic had no idea if it would hold up to a blow, or even why that corpse was there in the first place, but it did a good enough job of covering his head and the leather and chain mail underneath kept any prying eyes from peeking underneath.

With all his extra padding bowic used on top of his other clothing now safely secured to his body bowic rose from his tent with a great effort and groan of annoyance and he exposed himself to the cold and hard ground of the outside world, leaving behind the dwindling warmth of his slightly too-small and ever so thin tent.

The first sight that greeted him was "The bickering" as he had come to call it. When you took four different species and put them together, culturally they tended to rub each other the wrong way, with constant misunderstandings, misinterpretations and strait insults.

"The bickering" had become a morning routine for all of the current members of his not-so-merry band, which then meant no small amount of headaches for him. Whenever he had to listen to a lecture about "The importance of the proud tradition of armament" or the "Honoured tradition of the nightly hunt" and then the "Great tradition of wound remembrance" each one was then immediately broken, then insulted and then deliberately broken again and finally, outright ignored by the other members of the party.

This had transpired repeatedly, on numerous occasions.

So, as bowic trudged down the small hill he had set himself up on for the night a low groan escaped his throat as he approached his irritated companions.

"-and if you try it again ill be prying my claws from your ugly hide" The first he took note of was the irate and black-furred Abyssian of the group, Kayjack, who sported a horizontal scar across his muzzle.

And who was currently in the process of trying to sink his claws into one of the other members of Bowic's companions.

"Hey come on, how was I supposed to know it was yours I thought Arlene had found it I swear I didn't know it was yours" The other companion he then saw was Hamlin a shorter and generally more timid gryphon than Klein who sported orange fur like the other gryphon but had white feathers.

He was currently in the prosses of using a cooking pot as a shield to stop the rather pissed cat from plucking his feathers "Now don't blame this on me, he shouldn't have left a boar by the campfire I just thought Klein was being lazy again" the third member he took note of as he trudged to a stop just by the bickering pair was the aforementioned Arlene a pony woman with brown fur and white mane draped in robes currently stirring a pot of which Bowic could only assume was the boar.

Bowic let out a sigh, "I'll deal with you, pony. after I pluck this chicken's feathers" Kayjack said in a raised and annoyed voice toward the currently unbothered pony mare.

However, the sentence did get a rise out of Klein who up till now had been lounging on a log with a trademark grin watching the events unfold.

Now however he seemed more irate than a moment ago with a sudden jolt the larger gryphon was on his paws and had closed the distance between him and the Abyssian.

"You want to repeat your self pussy cat" It was a rare sight to see Klein in such a state, normally the gryphon had a smug aura around him that bowic could swear thickened the air around him in a thick must of self-righteous douchiness, but almost every creature had there own limits on what they deemed acceptable and chicken just happened to be one for the gryphons.

"You heard me chick- AGH"After attempting to repeat what Bowic could only compare to the slurs of this world Klein had pulled on a sword that was attached to his hip by the hand (claw?) guard and had struck Kayjack with the pommel under the snout.

"HA, cat got your tongue" Klein chuffed as the Abyssian stumbled back to his feet, and immediately tackled the armoured gryphon to the ground.

the clanking of metal plates echoed through the forest as the Gryphon tumbled with the leather-covered cat repeatedly knocking over each other's tents and other items strewn about the camp.

Bowic had just looked on in disbelief as this was the third time this exact series of events had transpired in their travels, not in a row mind you but it was strange it had happened three times.

"Ahem," Bowic cast his gaze to the pony mare sitting beside the cauldron.

"The stew is getting cold," the pony said in a blunt voice, Bowic knew what she meant by that.

If they didn't eat now all he would hear was for the rest of the day about how cold breakfast was and how I or he or she should cook next time, and so, Bowic decided to make this morning's argument end the same as the rest.

"Come here fur ba- ACH" Klein exclaimed in surprise. I'll tear out your ey- GURK" Kayjack similarly sounded.

Bowic had grabbed both creatures by the back on the kneck and had hoisted them into the air till they were eye level with him.

As it stood Bowic was at least a good head and shoulders taller than Kayjack who was the tallest of the group aside from the aforementioned human.

Klein also stood just a tad under the Abyssian, and Bowic made sure to make great use of this advantage.

"Listen here you two I just woke up so quit the bickering and eat before I get a headache, and if I get a headache-" "We get a headache," both creatures said in sequence.

Bowic was not just larger but he was also the physically strongest of the group which you would think was a good thing but it often just meant he ended up carrying the most supplies out of everyone.

"Good now quit being cubs or Kitts or whatever your words are and get eating it's getting cold" bowic dropped both creatures down on a log by the campfire and seated himself between them to avoid any further mishaps between the two.

After the lukewarm breakfast, the group began packing all their belongings into their packs (most of which ended up on bowic) and began moving towards a nearby village that they had been trying to make it to the night before but decided to sleep in the nearby woods to avoid the inn's prices, a decision that Bowic was not thrilled with but stayed his tongue to avoid an argument with the others.

As they began the approach to the town a were about to begin walking past the first houses a few of the locals waved and nodded at the company.

Out on the frontier near the badlands, these new villages and outposts were generally a lot more friendly to newcomers and other species since generally creatures were coming from all over to settle in the largely uninhabited lands only ponys were often absent as many never bothered to leave Equestria. there were still a few here and there but most tended to stay due to the safety and frankly better conditions of the pony homeland not to mention the two princes who watched over them, many ponies were too infatuated with their rules to think about leaving them for a dry piece of dirt land that has no form of centralised governance. Arlene was a bit of an outlier but if she was to be believed she expected to return someday or more accurately was expected to return someday. It's something to do with a church or some religion Bowic wasn't sure, but he remembered her mentioning something about it once he wasn't listening.

"-And she will strike you down with her holy light!" however Bowic remembered the constant reminders she gave.

"Pfft yea right, are we talking about the same princes here, the one with hips as wide as Bowic's Shoulders? Come on she has to have gotten that ass magically altered ain't no way she looks like that naturally" Bowic was also reminded that Klein existed, which He often tried to forget.

Arlene with a look of horror on her face responded "How dare you speak of her most radiance like that. the prince is the avatar of the-"

"Ass!" Klein interrupted and Kayjack facepalmed (pawed?) behind them.

Luckily Bowic was saved from an even larger headache as they approached the notice board, every town had one and it was what made up the vast majority of their income.

Every job big or small, from farm work to being a test subject for the local mage.

If it was needed it was on the board, and it was the only thing that could shut up the others and stop them from tearing each other throats out.

If there was one thing they valued more than each other, it was money, as well as most other things but the point still stood.

"Ive got one here for pest control," Kayjack said plucking a piece of paper from the board. "Dogs?" Klein responded curiously.

"Dogs" Kayjack responded bleakly.

They had agreed to vacate a diamond dog infestation a few towns ago sadly as it turns out, most creatures don't know the deeper you go into the caves the dogs dig, the more there end up being.

Long story short there wasn't three, there were dozens and they barely made it out with their lives and the reward was not at all worth the endeavour.

"Ive got one for farm work" Hamlin meekly spoke up.

"Look at the pay Hamlin" The group, barring Bowic responded in chorus.

"Oh sorry..." Farm work tended to pay very little as often, it was just temporary and wasn't meant for larger groups like this.

Hamlin often forgot this and Bowic often felt bad for the way the others would sometimes treat Hamlin, but the guy made it hard to stick up for him sometimes. With another sigh Bowic continued his search on the board until one piece of paper caught his eye pulling it off the board he began to look it over.

"This one," Boiwic said.

"What's that" Klein responded looking over from his section of the rickety old board.

"Missing person" Bowic replied "Mayor's kid went prospecting in a nearby cave for the village... never came back... it's been a week" Bowic said.

"Well he's dead" Kayjack responded Blunlty

"Doesn't matter as long as we get paid," Klein said looking over his claws disinterestedly

"It says bring him back... dead or alive" bowic responded

"Well that's all I need to hear," Klein said and began plodding along towards the village centre.

"pays not bad too," bowic said holding the paper in front of Kayjacks face. Kayjack let out a whistle at the price.

"100 crows, the mayor must be desperate," Arlene said with a similar disinterest to Klein, crows were the currency of the Gryphon kingdom and tended to be worth more out on the frontiers because of their proximity to the kingdom and the large amounts of gryphons that made up many of the frontiers villages and towns.

As the group made their way towards the village centre Bowic could see the looks from locals they were getting, Klein, being Klein would wave at anyone who looked at them wrong with a dopey smile on his beak and the others just ignored them.

Bowic knew why they were getting these looks and not because of himself, exotic creatures were a lot less exotic on the frontier and no one could see what he was under his helmet. no the reason they were here receiving glares and looks from the locals was because of Arlene. Ponys were far rarer than most creatures out here and many creatures born a bit of a grudge against them for the conditions they lived in, whilst many gryphons and other creatures lived in squalor comparatively, especially the gryphons.

"Blasphemous curs," Arlene said with a slight venom in her voice and threw up the hood of her robes=.

"Don't pay them any mind" Bowic said in a low but fair tone.

Arlene merely let out a "Tsk" in response.

once they reached the centre of the village they were met with a large building that looked like the village hall, a few banners were strewn on the outside which probably belonged to some local family of note or a lord from one of the many kingdoms who had invested in the village which was not uncommon as many successful settlements normally became quite wealthy due to the untapped resources of the badlands.

But they didn't pay the building much more of a thought when they saw a rather important looking gryphon dressed in an expensive-looking tunic wearing a feathered cap which was a common status symbol among gryphons as whilst theatres were plenty as they, quite literally grew from their bodies.

Feathers from other animals and species were a bit rearer, so if one was on display it often meant the individual who owned it was of some importance.

Bowic found Klein nigh insufferable but at least he was forthcoming with information about his species.

unlike some other members of the band, certain feline members.

Before Bowic Knew it Klein had Pulled the Parchment from his hands and marched up to the Gryphon in front of them who hadn't noticed them until now.

"Hey, you post this on the board?" Klein said waving the piece of parchment in his face. The gryphon seemed confused for a moment and remained silent.

He seemed almost surprised by his sudden appearance. But once he gave Klein the once over he began stammering over his words to respond "Oh um y...yes your lo-" but Klein interrupted again.

"Yea, yea whatever I know, no need to keep with the formalities we intend to help so where did he go and in what direction" Klein had cut the man off and began with his sudden barrage of questions.

The man, overwhelmed began to stamper even more, trying to get some form of words out "Well... I... he went.." but he seemed to have been swamped by Klein's sudden and quite frankly rude introduction or at least Bowic thought so.

"Klein your smothering the poor bird," Arlene said in a semi-concerned tone, Bowic knew she just didn't want to get thrown out of another settlement though.

"Alright..." Bowic said and then proceeded to pick up Klein by the scruff of his back neck and hoist him into the air and physically removed him from the interaction "Kayjack" Bowic then said. Kayjack Knowing what he meant stepped forward and began to converse with the now thoroughly confused bird. "Good Morning sir.

We recently came into town and came across a parchment on the village board about a missing person and intend to aid in the endeavour" Kayjack had a way with words, he tried to use his skills on Bowic once when trying to convince him a jewel he had found when clearing out the diamond dogs wasn't actually that valuable.

It had almost worked but when Bowic had realised what he was trying to do he threw the cat down the rickety mine shaft.

He hasn't tried since.

"oh well, ye.. yes well... you see-" the tom had begun as he regained his composure, Bowic had zoned the others out by now and turned to the gryphon who had almost gotten them thrown out of the nearby town "alright what was that about," Bowic said in a slightly stern voice. Klein merely rolled his eyes and responded in a defensive tone "What I was just trying to speed up the process" he responded, "No he was going to say something and you interrupted him.

What was it" Bowic said in a quieter tone, Klein upon realising he had been caught-onto widened his eyes a little but quickly recovered, so much so that Bowic didn't even notice, almost.

"pfft I have no idea what you're on about, I think you've been wearing that helmet a bit too long buddy" Klein then moved a claw towards Bowic's helmet to try and give it a tip upwards but it was grasped by Boiwcs padded glove.

Bowic gave his hand a slight squeeze, not enough to hurt him but enough to let Klein know he was sufficiently irritated with him. "you know we can't help if you don't tell us" Bowic said in a low tone.

Klein remained silent but was no longer trying to pull his hand from Bowics grasp "At least tell me" Bowic said again now in a softer voice.

Klein however merely looked away and mumbled "You can't understand" he finally responded. Bowic was about to respond but a sudden shout from behind had alerted them to the others.

"Hey, you two lovebirds, stop holding hands back there and get over here" the voice of Arlene was heard from behind them, who had begun walking down the road toward the large banner building.

Klein seeing the opportunity Shouted Back "I'm trying but the big guys won't take no for an answer, I don't blame him though" Bowic grunted and dropped Klein to the ground and had him land on his rear and began walking over to the others.

As Klein recovered Kayjack began making a being-sick gesture with his hands at what Klein was insinuating with Bowic.

"I didn't take you for one who was against that kind of thing," Arlene said to him cocking a brow.

"I'm not" he responded defensively "I just didn't want that image in my head" he responded in clarification.

Arlene then took a moment and looked upwards in thought and then responded "Oh yea that's nasty" she said in agreement "Thanks guys" bowic said sarcastically as he finished his approach.

"Oh, not because of you Bowic. picturing Klein naked is something that I'll need to scrub from my mind" Arlene clarified, and a muffled "hey!" was heard from behind them.

"it's kinda hard to judge what you would look like under all those layers" Kayjack interjected giving Bowic a knowing look.

"I think they'd make a great couple" Hamlin spoke.

Bowic did not respond.